


What Best Friends Are For

by Kaimu



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: Best Friends, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-03
Updated: 2012-12-03
Packaged: 2017-11-20 05:18:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/581694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaimu/pseuds/Kaimu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Brian found Michael with one of Ben's used needles in his hand?</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Best Friends Are For

Brian let himself into Ben and Michael's apartment with his spare key, which he actually was only meant to use in case of an emergency.

Well, this was an emergency, at least to Brian it was.

Michael hadn't shown up in Woody's like he had promised without notice and Brian just didn't get blown off like that.

This was supposed to be one of those rare nights they would be alone, just like in the old days, without Ben, Justin or even Ted and Emmett to hang around them.

They had agreed on one night every week, just the two of them, and now Michael wouldn't keep his part of the deal? Well, Brian wasn't just gonna let that happen.

He needed his every day dose of Michael in his life, even if it was just a phone call, that's why he was sneaking in to the Professor and his best friend's apartment right now.

Besides,maybe this really was an emergency. Maybe Michael was lying sick in bed, or, even worse, he could be dying.

Now that was a thought Brian really didn't want to have.

He slipped into the apartment and closed the door quietly. The apartment was completely dark, except from the streetlamp shining into the window.

"Michael?" Brian called out into the empty room, already moving around carefully, "Mikey, where are you?"

He didn't get an answer.

Since he could barely see a hand before his eyes in the living room, he did notice the crack in the door of the master bedroom and the faint light shining through it.

Not hesitating for a second, Brian walked over there and opened the door.

He expected to find Michael in bed, probably sick, not sitting on a chair beside the bed with a needle in his hand.

Leave it to Michael to do the strangest things, like sitting in the almost dark, staring at a needle.

Wait. A needle?

Fuck.

Moving quickly, Brian stepped up to his friend; who still hadn't acknowledged his presence; and with the back of his hand wiped the needle away so it fell to the ground.

That seemed to get Michael out of his daze. He blinked and looked up into the blazing hazel eyes of his best friend.

"Brian..."

"What the fuck were you doing, Michael?"

"I..."

"What were you thinking?" Brian rattled on in anger, "Where you even thinking at all? Don't tell me you were gonna do what I think you were."

Silence...

"Michael?!" Brian's voice hitched, getting higher at the end. "You'd better start fucking talking to me."

Michael sighed and looked down, not able to meet Brian's intense stare any longer.

"I wanted to know..." Michael finally spoke quietly.

"Wanted to know what?"

"What it's like to be positive." Michael knew Brian was gonna say something, but didn't let him. "Ben told me it would be easier for him to be with someone who's positive too."

"That fucker! I'm gonna-"

Michael looked back up, "You're not gonna do anything, Bri. Ben's right. I don't know what it's like to be like him. That's why..." Michael trailed off and swallowed. "That's why I thought I could stick me with the needle he used and get positive too. Then I would know what it's like. Then we could be together without having to be so fucking careful every time."

"Mikey," Brian said softly, bending his legs so he was on eye level with his friend. "Ben never meant it like that. I'm sure he doesn't want you to get positive too or he wouldn't be so careful in the first place."

Michael nodded softly in acknowledgement, "I know. I just... I don't really know anymore."

Brian reached out and placed his hand at the back of Michael's neck, scratching at the nape.

"Mikey, listen to me. Are you listening?"

Michael nodded, "I'm listening."

"You're hot, smart and funny and that's why Ben wants to be with you. He knows you won't always be able to understand what he's going through, but you're the closest thing because you have see your uncle Vic in his bad days and you know it's not a pretty sight. You know what else you are? You're pretty damn strong, Mikey. You've been strong enough for the both of us for all my life and you're gonna be strong enough for you and Ben as well, ok?"

Brian waited until Michael finally nodded, then leaned in so their foreheads were touching.

"Fuck, Mikey," Brian breathed, "Don't ever fucking scare me like that again."

Tears spilled out of Michael's eyes as he closed the distance and pressed his lips against Brian's.

Brian closed his eyes, feeling the pain of his friend, trying to hold back the tears of his own.

Shit. If he hadn't been there on time...If Michael had stuck that needle into his skin...

He didn't know what he would do exactly, but it wouldn't be something good. Or smart for that matter.

They pulled out of the kiss, but their foreheads remained in touch.

"You're amazing, Mikey." Brian whispered, "If Ben can't see that, then he's fucking stupid."

That finally got a smile out of Michael. Even if it was just a small one, Brian took it as a victory.

"You're pretty amazing too, Bri."

"I know," Brian smirked.

Michael laughed and tried to pull away but Brian pulled him even closer. Nuzzling into his neck.

"I mean it, Mikey. Don't ever do shit like that again."

And Michael knew. Michael realized how lost Brian would feel if he found out his best friend had a ticking time bomb inside of himself.

Maybe even more lost then Michael felt with Ben in the same predicament.

Ben and Michael were lovers, but Brian and Michael were best friends for so long.

Michael wouldn't know what to do if he ever lost Brian. Now it was clear that Brian felt the same way.

Draping his arms around his friend and squeezing him tight, Michael whispered;

"I won't. I promise."

That's what best friends do. Save each other's lives without the other one even realizing it.


End file.
